This year’s Great British fashion trend was unarguably the stiff upper lip, and it hasn’t been easy for most of us. What began with a lockdown set the tone for a second long year of uncertainty, and most of us dashed out into the sunshine the second Freedom Day came around. Now that the winter storms have started, it’s possibly the first time in a while that we’ve looked forward to staying in at home. 

Why? Because we’ve got Christmas to look forward to!

Our love of the Christmas countdown is only slightly beaten by our love for the big day itself, with mince pies hitting the shelves as soon as the Halloween costumes have been packed away. As festive lights and Christmas flags decorate shop windows, it’s as if we’re ready to celebrate; but this year, we’ve got a little extra to be happy about as we count down. Wouldn’t you agree?

Seeing Long-Distant Relatives

For a good number of us, this year will be the first chance in over 18 months to celebrate the festive season with loved ones from overseas, many of whom have been separated by travel restrictions. While travel was possible for some, extended quarantines and potential flight disruptions made an in-person celebration for most. After all, who can afford to spend time in self-isolation when we only have so long for a break?

Last year, many of us at The Flag Shop celebrated online with our distant loved ones, using Merry Christmas and Santa Flags to share our festive cheer via Zoom. This year (with fingers crossed of course!) we’ll be using them as signposts for our parties, alongside our Christmas Bunting. Cheers to that!

Christmas Events

There are loads of ways to celebrate a British Christmas, from midnight mass and carol singing to last-minute shopping and workplace parties. And if you’re blessed with snow, what’s better than a seasonal frolic in hats and mittens? 

Almost all of these were off the agenda during 2020, or at least muted and socially distanced. Last year, we attended socially distanced, outdoor carols at a few select venues, and did most of our shopping online. We delivered very few gifts in person and gave each other space to protect the most vulnerable among us.

2021 will be different, we hope, as more of the population are protected. We’re already seeing hopeful signs from at least a few Christmas market organizers, with the Manchester, Birmingham, York, and Bristol markets are looking hopeful. Up north, it looks as if stalls will be putting out decorations for the traditional Edinburgh Christmas market for anyone looking to pick up festive gifts, and the increasingly popular Winter Wonderland has given us the go-ahead. If you missed sampling sweet treats and warming up with some wintery booze during last year’s festive season, this December’s you can make up for lost time. We, for sure, will be browsing the seasonal selections!

Eating, Drinking, and Making Merry

We haven’t seen the tail end of the pandemic yet, and even Santa’s workshop hasn’t quite escaped the impact of global supply chain hiccups. We’ve all been reading about potential shortages on certain items, especially in the wake of Brexit, and we may not be able to gift each other exactly what we want. (Luckily, we can still get our paws on some Stilton!)

All that pales in comparison to what we will have this year, which in our eyes is a bigger need than ever to just soak up each other’s company. We can expect the little things to hold more meaning, and even the oft-repeated stories from our relatives will probably raise a smile. This year, we’re celebrating the fact that we can eat, drink, and make merry together, no matter how humble those celebrations may be. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and for us, being together at Christmas was what we truly missed.

This year’s going to be a Christmas like no other, and for a completely unique reason too. Who thought that rituals, routines, and silly things like Grandma’s home baking would mean so much to us, simply by virtue of their absence? We hope you soak it all in and make the most of it this year, and couldn’t wish you a happier Christmas!